@jenn26point2 the trail race sounds awesome-do it next year for sure! There is a half and whole trail marathon in May north of here that has a 2 mile huge climb and a kick a** down hill. It is so very difficult. I am going to do it again. I was 2nd in my AG in 2012 though. The competitive former self wants to top it but I know I need to just enjoy it.

Yes, I am doing ragnar tennessee! I just got a notice for cape cod in may--that would be so much fun. I ran this morning and it was 40. It was awesome. Hopefully it won't be colder than that.

my broth is almost ready. This paleo balance is hard. You'd think after several years of this I would know what I am doing.

The trail race that I'm talking about is a 50k (5 laps of 6.2 miles each). He's got it set up to where you donate whatever you want, run as many laps as you want, write down your own time (honor system), and anyone who finishes further than 26.2 miles gets their name and time published in some marathoner's magazine. The one time I did it, I did one lap in an hour and some odd minutes. It was really hard. I walked a lot of it as most of it is brutally uphill. I think the elevation change from the lowest point to the highest is 1,000 feet - in 3.1 miles (that much change from the starting point to the 3.1 mile turn around point). Some people run it with their dogs!!! For Iowa, that's a pretty steep climb! lol I don't imagine it's too hard to find elevation changes like that in Tennessee.

Finished a half marathon with no carb-loading and no real specific training - the only slight issue was mile 10 or so when I succumbed to peer pressure and had an energy gel that they were handing out. It just made me feel a little sick. At least for me, it was easy to over-think the fueling part. For 50k, I'd think you really need to worry about fuel --13.1 is a long way for me, but not really that far and only about two hours. Next time I'll drink plenty of water and just run!

Just stumbled upon this thread - fascinating. I'm not a real runner - been a bit on and off for a couple of years but ran my first, very slow, half marathon last year. Despite the objections of my trainer, I'm planning on maybe 4 HM races in 2013 and really want to blow my first time out of the water.

Training for my first HM, I increased mileage too quickly and wrecked my knees. 4 months and a lot of strength training later my knees are much better, although I managed to twang a hamstring a few weeks ago doing deadlifts so I'm not back to running yet. I've still a decent amount of fat to lose and have really dropped the carbs recently, but am doing well strengthening and gaining muscle so although I'm not going to be massively lighter, I do expect to be a bit lighter and a lot stronger than before so am quite excited to think about what I might be able to achieve....I'll not be anywhere near your ballpark, mind you, but that's the beauty of running - you're only really competing against yourself.

Just stumbled upon this thread - fascinating. I'm not a real runner - been a bit on and off for a couple of years but ran my first, very slow, half marathon last year. Despite the objections of my trainer, I'm planning on maybe 4 HM races in 2013 and really want to blow my first time out of the water.

Training for my first HM, I increased mileage too quickly and wrecked my knees. 4 months and a lot of strength training later my knees are much better, although I managed to twang a hamstring a few weeks ago doing deadlifts so I'm not back to running yet. I've still a decent amount of fat to lose and have really dropped the carbs recently, but am doing well strengthening and gaining muscle so although I'm not going to be massively lighter, I do expect to be a bit lighter and a lot stronger than before so am quite excited to think about what I might be able to achieve....I'll not be anywhere near your ballpark, mind you, but that's the beauty of running - you're only really competing against yourself.

Good luck with your training. I plan to begin training for a May race after the holidays are over.

Hey y'all! Sorry I have not posted lately-not sure if anyone is reading anyway!!!

Okay, the Tennessee relay was AMAZING! I loved it. I ate really, really well. For those that don't know what it is-team of 12, 200 miles. You run 3 legs and you get no rest-you have to fuel for 24 hours.

It was close to home so I was able to bring my little cooler. The biggest deal for me was the bone broth--love this stuff. I was always hit or miss on whether I made it. Now I am not missing a week making it! I brought it in a thermos cool. I would pour a cup in the hotel and heat it up. On the road during the race I heated it up in a microwave at a gas station. It kept me going. I also had mashed sweet potatoes with tons of kerrygold and cinnamon in it. I had apple slices that I dipped in coconut butter-I think that is what it is? Artisana? Love that stuff. I also had hard boiled eggs in the cooler.

It is harder to get veggies in the middle of a relay. I had packed a good lunch-that would keep to the next day in my lunch cooler. It was sliced beef with coconut oil sautéed asparagus. It was excellent even though it was cold on the road. We stopped for 1 meal at a Ruby Tuesday's or something like that I ordered a ribeye and zucchini there. The steak was huge so I ate half and cut up the rest in tiny bites and put it in my Tupperware in the van and had it with some fruit the next morning-worked out great.

Another thing I brought was a new shaker cup with a metal ball in it. I was able to get coffee and I had made a mix of mct oil and kerrygold-I would scoop a portion into my coffee and shake it up. The effect was almost like mixing it in my vitamix. It was good-you just can't stir that in coffee because it will be an oily mess. It has to be blended in. Bulletproof coffee is the ultimate energy drink for me. I have an iron clad stomach now so it fine. But you have to work your way up to it.

So that was the food portion of it-running WAS AWESOME! I loved it. I had 2 night runs which I love. I had been training super low so I had no idea what my body was going to do. I just kind of go with it That said, my 2nd leg was the fastest I have run all year. It was only 6 miles but I pulled out sub 8's and I didn't think I had it in my old lady body any more. I don't even run with a watch anymore so, I honestly don't know what I run. The driver kept our time and told me. I was shocked. By my last leg the fatigue caught up with me and I was running 8:30-9's but it was good after 17 miles for me. This was poignant for me--you know, I just want to run. I do a little sprints here and there but I have been really meticulous in the past about doing this work out and that workout and training exactly right. I am just not that type a person and it bogged me down-I just want to put on shoes and run. That is what I do now. I love it. There is freedom in that for me-no pressure, just pleasure.

So now I am a bone broth fanatic. I am at my whole foods every Friday to get grass fed bones. I have to get there when they open to not have to wrestle anyone for them. I think the broth and the bulletproof coffee are runners dreams.

I am not going to the body by science trainer anymore. I was using him and taking a break from crossfit. He is just too pervy for me and kind of got his hands too close to the goods. He actually said he HAD to touch me places that were uncomfortable because he was my trainer. I was like there is touching an athlete to train them and there what you are doing and you are wrong. I don't think crossfit would be effective just 1 time a week. I am going to get through this Jan relay and then start back up to 2 times a week. I love my box but it was hard to get there when school started for the kids-it is a haul and the class time was when I was running carpool. So I am going to do 2 days of simple body weight stuff at home with a little kettle ball action (love those).

Next weekend I have a half. Then on to Key West in Jan for a relay! Yay! Although I have to fly for the Florida race so the food will have to be really well planned. I can't travel with the liquids-I will have to buy in Miami. I don't know what the cooler situation will be, etc.

Great update! I love hearing about how great your runs are! Your journal is what inspired me to put my racing dreams on hold until I get my body figured out. I want to lose the rest of my weight and fully transition to fat burning (which means I really need to come to terms with my sugar addiction) before I attempt anymore training. Plus, I'm in my last semester of grad school, so half marathon training won't be easy.

Please keep posting when you can! I truly enjoy hearing about your great running feats!

@jenn26point2 I am a sugar/food addict too. It has been a hard, long road for me. People do not understand how it just consumes you (pun intended ) My binges are much farther apart now but it has been so difficult. I used sugar to cope through crappy life circumstances--it would just fog my brain. I wonder if it is similar to an alcoholic? Losing weight did not help either-it is still there.

The losing weight and beat sugar addiction are two separate animals. My hope is that losing weight will help me run more easily, whereas the beating sugar will help me both with the weight loss and with psychological sugar issues.